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Selected Topics in Astrophysics - PHYS 601

Lectures for the course Selected Topics in Astrophysics, a graduate course at CSUN.

Syllabus

  • Part 1: Radiative Transfer

    • Class 1
      • Syllabus and overall overview. Preliminaries: parallax, magnitudes, spectral sequence, HR diagram.

    • Class 2   [ppt] [notes]
      • Principles of Radiative Transfer

    • Class 3   [ppt] [notes]
      • Emission and absorption, opacity, radiative transfer equation, Kirchhoff laws.

    • Class 4   [notes]
      • Einstein coefficients, scattering, plane-parallel approximation, radiative equilibrium.

    • Material from :
      • An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics, Carroll & Ostlie
      • Stellar Interiors, Hansen & Kawaler
      • Introduction to Stellar Astrophysics, Erika Bohm-Vitense
      • Radiative Processes in Astrophysics, Rybicki & Lightman
      • Astrophysics for Physicists, Choudhuri

  • Part 2: Stellar Structure

    • Class 5 [notes]
      • Gray approximation, Rossland approximation, Rossland vs Planck opacities, Eddington approximation, introduction to stellar structure (mass continuity and hydrostatic equilibrium equations).

    • Class 6   [ppt] [notes]
      • Stellar structure: virial theorem, gravitational contraction, luminosity and temperature equation (radiative).

    • Class 7 [notes]
      • Convection. Schwarschild criterion. Full equations of stellar structure.

    • Material from : Same as 1.

  • Part 3: Stellar Evolution

    • Class 8   [ppt] [notes]
      • Nucleosynthesis (Reaction cross sections, Gamow peak, nuclear reaction rates, proton-proton chain, CNO cycle, triple alpha)

    • Class 9   [ppt] [notes]
      • Evolution of low mass stars (Evolution in the main sequence, shell burning, subgiant branch, degeneracy, degenerate pressure -- nonrelativistic and relativistic --, Fermi energy, red giant branch, Helium flash, helium burning, horizontal branch, asymptotic giant branch, thermal pulses, planetary nebula, white dwarf).

    • Class 10   [ppt] [notes]
      • Evolution of high mass stars (Core-collapse supernova, carbon burning, alpha ladder, photodisintegration, origin of odd-Z elements, neutronization, core collapse, core rebound, neutrino opacity, blastwave, supernova).

    • Class 11   [ppt - Slides by Prof Christian] [notes]
      • Lane-Emden equation, Chandrasekhar limit.

    • Material from:
      • An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics, Carroll & Ostlie
      • Stellar Interiors, Hansen & Kawaler
      • Astrophysics for Physicists, Choudhuri

  • Part 4: Planet Formation

    • Class 12   [ppt] [notes]
      • Star formation: Jeans criterion. Jeans mass and Jeans length. Circumstellar disks, Bonnor-Ebert mass.

    • Class 13   [ppt] [notes]
      • Tides, Roche limit. Gravitational collapse: planetesimals.

    • Class 14   [ppt] [notes]
      • Planet formation: Core accretion. Hill radius, isolation mass, gravitational focusing, critical core mass.

    • Class 15   [ppt] [notes]
      • Interiors: inertia moment, gravitational moments. Planet formation: Gravitational Instability. Toomre instability analysis. Toomre parameter.

    • Class 16 and 17   [ppt16] [ppt17] [notes]
      • Planet-disk interaction: migration. Impulse approximation. Lindblad resonances. Gap opening.

    • Material from:
      • Carroll & Ostlie, An Introduction to Modern Astrophysics, Chapter 19 (tides), Chapter 21 (Giant planets).
      • De Pater & Lissauer, Planetary Sciences, Chapter 2.5 (oblateness, gravitational moments). Chapter 13 (planet formation problems)
      • Murray & Dermott, Solar System Dynamics, Problem 4.2 for homework assignment.
      • Armitage, Astrophysics of Planet Formation.

  • Part 5: Planet interiors and atmospheres

    • Class 18   [ppt] [notes]
      • Interiors of giant planets, n=1 polytrope, degeneracy parameter, pressure ionization. Planet's equilibrium temperature, greenhouse-corrected temperature.

    • Class 19   [ppt] [notes]
      • Atmospheres: Hadley circulation, storm systems, vorticity conservation. Icy moons: subsurface oceans, tidal dissipation, radiogenic heating.

    • Material from:
      • de Pater, I. & Lissauer, J.: Planetary Sciences.
      • Guillot, T.: Physics of Substellar Objects: Interiors, Atmospheres, Evolution.

  • Part 6: Magnetohydrodynamics

    • Class 20   [notes]
      • Gaussian units, local neutrality, Debye length, magnetic tension and magnetic pressure, induction equation, magnetic Reynolds number.

    • Class 21   [notes]
      • Alfvén's flux-freezing theorem. Alfvén wave.

    • Class 22   [pdf] [notes]
      • Solar wind. Parker model. Parker spiral.

    • Material from:
      • Choudhuri, A.R., The Physics of Fluids and Plasmas: An Introduction for Astrophysicists.
      • Goossens, M., An Introduction to Plasma Astrophysics and Magnetohydrodynamics.
      • Sturrock, P.A., Plasma Physics: An Introduction to the Theory of Astrophysical, Geophysical, and Laboratory Plasmas.

  • Part 7: Cosmology

    • Class 23   [ppt]  [handout]
      • Introduction to galaxies and cosmology (class by Prof Christian).

    • Class 24   [notes]
      • Hubble law, scale factor, redshift, Friedmann equation, age of Universe.

    • Class 25   [notes]
      • Fluid equation, acceleration equation, dark energy, early universe, radiation, matter, and dark energy-dominated eras.

    • Class 26   [ppt] [notes]
      • Dark matter.

    • Material from Carroll & Ostlie's BOB.